Media Literacy
The goal of our Media Literacy program is to guide our students and others to better understand bias and develop the ability to determine credibility, so they are active participants and not passive consumers. We want our students to become thoughtful questioners—to be curious about the world around them and to let their questions guide their learning.
We ensure that our students develop a foundation for critical thinking, understanding, and discourse, as well as responsible engagement with the media. We help them recognize false information and fake photos, distinguish fact from fiction, and become aware of false influences and propaganda. We encourage students and faculty to ask what information is being presented, how it is delivered, and whether it can be trusted.
We want our students to be skeptical of the information they receive, but to never be cynical.
~ Brian Tousey, Head of Media Literacy and 8th Grade Teacher
In the early grades, students begin exploring perspective, emotions, and bias. Through experiences connected to RULER, students develop an awareness of how emotions and perspectives influence the way we understand the world. A Kindergarten class might explore perspective by comparing different versions of The Three Little Pigs or investigate how colors and images on a cereal box can influence our emotions.
As students move through the Lower School, they begin to distinguish fact from opinion and develop a deeper understanding of credibility and bias. They learn that the same message can be interpreted in different ways and begin to consider the choices a creator makes when communicating an idea.
In third through fifth grade, students take their inquiry further. They explore how photographs and other forms of media can be altered and manipulated. Students are introduced to strategies such as lateral reading, which encourages them to look beyond a single source and investigate information from multiple perspectives.
In Middle School, students continue to develop these skills, with an increasing focus on navigating information online. They learn to investigate the credibility, intent, and potential bias of authors and websites and to consider the reliability of the information they encounter.
Five Core Concepts of The Willows Media Literacy Approach
- All media messages are constructed.
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Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.
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Media messages are produced for a particular purpose to gain in profit or power.
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Media messages have embedded values and points of view.
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Different people understand the same message differently.
By teaching our students to understand biases inherent in the media, recognize their own preconceptions, and pause to regulate their reactions, we guide them toward becoming emotionally intelligent consumers and creators of information.
~ Lily Davis, Assistant Head of School for Programming